What are some interview questions for product managers?

If you have landed an interview for a product management position, you are probably wondering what types of questions to expect. The interviewer will most likely pose the typical ice-breaker types of questions to get to know you, but do not be surprised if some questions seem off-the-wall.

The interviewer will want to determine how your past experience will translate into the new position. He will also want to assess your technical knowledge, business sense, decision-making abilities, and analytical skills.

Here are 25 potential questions you might encounter:

Why did you want to become a product manager?

Share some insights on how you would improve our product.

How would you explain product management to a stranger?

Tell me how you would build a product roadmap.

What is the best feature you have ever built and why?

What do you consider the least interesting part of the product management role?

How will you decide which features to build?

Take me through how you would build an alarm clock for someone who is hearing-impaired.

What is the difference between waterfall and agile methodologies, and which do you prefer?

Which metrics will be most important to track for our product?

What would you change about our website to improve conversions?

Tell me about the coolest innovation you have seen lately and why you like it.

What feature would you like to see on the iPhone?

Tell me how you would approach working with our development team.

How many people are flying out of La Guardia Airport today?

How do you know if a product launch is successful?

Have you ever had a disagreement with a team member, and what was the outcome?

If I spoke to your coworkers, what would they say about you?

What types of people do you like to work with?

Describe a time when you used data to make a decision.

What has been your greatest achievement?

What makes you really angry?

Describe one of your failures. What would you do differently, given the chance?

What are you most passionate about?

Why do you want to work here?

Here are a few tips:

Whatever question you encounter, take time to think through your answer. The interviewer will want to see that you are thinking through the question in a logical way.

Do not be afraid to ask questions of your own. The more the interview feels like a normal conversation, the more comfortable both of you will feel.

Whatever you do, do not just answer a question with "I don't know" and just leave it at that. If you are not sure how to answer a question, describe how you would go about finding out the answer.